Kiln gun and shell feed therefor



April 21, 1970 F. A. PRYBYLA KILN GUN AND SHELL FEED THEREFOR 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Sept.

INVENTOR. FRANKAPRYBYLA ATTORNEY pr 1970 F. A. PRYBYLA 3,507,134

KILN GUN AND SHELL FEED THEREFOR Filed Sept. 5, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG '3 L Q? E INVENTOR.' FRANK A. PRYBVLA ATTORNEY April 21, 1970 F. A. PRYBYLA KILN GUN AND SHELL FEED THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. :3, 1968 INVENTOR: FRANK A. PRVBYLA Mum Wyn ATTORNEY April 21; 1970 F. A. PRYBYLA 3,507,134

KILN GUN AND SHELL FEED THEREFOR Fil ed Sept. 5, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG -6 LIZ? 4Z6 d J M i? I fi 72 l [Z INVENTORI \J M5 FRANK ,4. PRYBYLA H619 BY MM lay-m ATTORNEY KILN GUN AND SHELLFEED THEREFOR Frank A. Prybyla, Hamden, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathieson .Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 757,035 Int. Cl. F41d 9/00 US. C]. 89-33 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A kiln gun wherein shells are automatically fed into the firing chamber froma magazine.

This invention concerns a kiln gun for firing shells into a kiln to dislodge clinkers therefrom, and to a system for automatically feeding shells into the firing chamber of the gun.

Specially designed guns, termed kiln guns, are know in the. prior art for the removal of clinker rings and other material inside of rotary kilins, and the like. During operation of a kiln, product clinkers are deposited on the inside wall of the kiln and must be periodically removed therefrom. One way of removing these deposits involves the use of. a kiln gun to fire special slugs into the kiln, which slugs chip the deposits off of the kiln wall.

Depending on the size and type of kiln, and the material being treated in the kiln, it requires from about 200 to about 800 rounds to clean the interior of a kiln. Obviously, the kiln must be shut down during the cleaning operation, the shutdown time generally varying from about /2 to 1 hour when the kiln gun is operated at top speed.

In order, to operate the kiln guns of the prior art at top speed and minimize shut-down time, two highly skilled men are. required. One man operates the breech block mechanism and fires the gun, and another man manually loadsthe gun.

This invention is directed toward a shell feed system for use with a kiln gun, which system automatically feeds shells into the firing chamber of the gun. The feed system of this invention is synchronized with the movement of the breech block of the gun so that when the breech block is moved to a retired or breech-open position, a shell is automatically fed into the firing chamber of the gun. This system thus replaces the man previously needed to load the gun without reducing the speed at which the gun can be operated.

The feeding system of this invention is preferably used with a kiln gun which is slidably mounted on a support frame. The kiln gun includes a breech block pivotally mounted for movement between a battery position and a retired or breech-open position. A shell magazine or tray is mounted on the support frame to feed shells onto the top of the breech block when the latter is in its retired position. Cut-01f arms are included in this system to selectively interrupt the feeding of shells when the breech block is in its battery position. In order to move a shell from the breech block into the firing chamber, a jet of air is directed against the rear face of the shell. The air stream is interrupted during ejection of a spent shell from the firing chamber. An operating lever is pivotally mounted on the support frame and is connected to the breech block and to the cut-oifs by means of a plurality of links, the operating lever being operable to effect the pivoting of the breech block, actuation of the shell cutoffs and control of the air jet.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a kiln gun having an automatic shell feed system.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an 1 Statgs P21116111: O

ammunition feed system for use with a kiln gun wherein cut-offs are selectively actuable to interrupt the move ment of shells to the kiln gun.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a shell feed system for use with a kiln gun wherein a jet of air is directed against a shell to move the latter into the firing chamber of the kiln gun.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partially cut away for purposes of clarity, of a kiln gun and a preferred embodiment of the shell feed system of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation similar to FIGURE 1, but with the breech block in its retired position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing one of the cut-offs disengaged from its respective shell to permit the latter to move onto the breech block;

FIGURE 6 is a side view partially in section and with parts removed for clarity showing the breech block in its battery position;

FIGURE 7 is a side view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing the breech block in its retired position and showing the actuation of the shell ejector; and

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view of a selectively operable air cut-off valve for use with the preferred embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a kiln gun (partially shown) is illustrated with a preferred embodiment of the shell feed assembly of this invention mounted thereon. The kiln gun includes a receiver portion 2 connected to a barrel 4, and is mounted on a support frame 6. The gun is slidably mounted on the frame 6 so that the gun can recoil when fired, while the frame 6 remains stationary. A breech block 8 is mounted in the receiver 2 for pivotal movement about a pin 10, the breech block 8 being pivotally movable between a raised battery position (shown in FIGURE 1) and a lowered retired, or breech-open position (shown in FIGURE 3). A firing chamber 12 communicates with the receiver 2 forward of the breech block 8, the firing chamber 12 being closed by the breech block 8 when the latter is in its battery position, and the firing chamber 12 being open for ejection and reception of shells when the breech block 8 is in its retired position.

A magazine or tray 14 is mounted on the support frame 6 by means of a mounting plate 16 which is connected to the frame 6 by a plurality of bolts 18. The tray 14 is downwardly inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so that shells disposed in the tray 14 will roll down the tray toward the breech block 8. A first slot 20 is cut through the tray 14 and a first shell cut-off arm 22 is disposed beneath the tray 14 to project through the slot 20. A link 24 is loosely connected to the cut-off 22 by means of a pin 26 at one end thereof. The other end of the link 24 includes a square aperture 28 which receives a square post 30 connected to an operating lever 32 having a laterally extending handle 33, which lever 32 is pivotally mounted on the outside of the support frame 6. It will be readily appreciated that by pivoting the operating lever 32 in a counter-clockwise direction, the link 24 and cutoff 22 will be raised (see FIGURE 3).

Referring now to FIGURE 2, a top view of the receiver area of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 is shown, and a plurality of shells 34 are disposed in the magazine tray 14. It is noted that the tray 14 includes a pair of opposed top lips 36 and a top cover plate 38 to hold the shells 34 against vertical movement when the gun is fired. The

lower end 40 of the tray 14 is disposed above the breech block 8 so that shells can fall onto the breech block from the tray.

A second slot 42 is cut through the tray 14 as a position disposed downwardly along the tray from the first slot 20. A second shell cut-off 44 extends through the slot 42 to engage the downwardmost cartridge in the tray. As will be described hereinafter in greater detail, the cut-offs 22 and 44 are selectively operable to control the feeding of shells 34 onto the breech block 8, and to synchronize the shell feeding with the movement of the breech block.

A pair of upwardly extending retaining plates 46 are mounted on the receiver 2 to prevent the shells from accidently falling off of the breech block 8 during the feeding operation. A deflector plate 48 is mounted on the rearward portion of the receiver 2 to extend obliquely thereon. The deflector 48 provides a surface against which spent shells are ejected from the firing chamber 12. The spent shells are propelled from the firing chamber by an ejector, described in greater detail hereinafter, against the deflector plate 48 where the spent shells are deflected laterally out of the receiver.

The breech block 8 includes an aperture 50' extending through the rearward portion thereof, the aperture 50 opening at one end into the concave upper surface 52 of the breech block 8, and communicating at the other end thereof with a fitting 54 mounted on the receiver 2 and connected to a compressed air hose 56.

The link 24 includes a laterally directed post 58 which extends into a slot 60 cut in a second linking member 62. The linking member 62 is affixed to a shaft 64 rotatably mounted in the receiver 2. Thus when the link 24 is pivoted by rotating the actuating lever 32, the second link 62 also is made to pivot by means of the post 58 and slot 60 connection between the two links. The pivoting of the second link 62 in turn causes the shaft 64 to rotate in the receiver 2. It is noted that the post 58 and slot 60 provide a sliding connection between the links 24 and 62 which is not damaged when the gun recoils upon being fired.

FIGURE 3 shows the actuating lever 32 after it has been rotated to a forward position to raise the links 24 and 62, and the cut-otf 22. It will be noted that the breech block 8 is thus lowered to its retired position in a manner to be more precisely described hereinafter. The compressed air hose 56 is connected to a cut-oif valve, indicated generally by the numeral 66, to which is connected another hose 68 which communicates with a supply of compressed air, such as a compressed air cylinder, or the like (not shown). The actuating lever 32 includes a notch 70 which contacts the valve 66 and selectively shuts off the flow of air to the conduit 56' when the lever 32 is in its forward position. The valve 66 is mounted on the support frame by means of an L-shaped plate 67.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, the shell cut-oifs 22 and 44 are shown in greater detail. The breech block 8 containing a firing pin 9 is shown in its battery position in FIGURE 4 and it is understood that the actuating lever 32 is in its rearward position, such as shown in FIGURE 1. In FIGURE 4 the second cut-ofi 44 extends through the slot 42 to engage the lowermost shell 34 on the magazine tray 14 to restrain the shells against movement down the tray. The cut-off 44 is pivotally mounted on a pin 72 which extends between a pair of ears 74 (only one of which is shown) depending downwardly from the bottom of the tray 14. A spring member 76 is mounted on the pin 72 and connected to an elongated portion 78 of the cut-oif 44, the spring 76 serving to urge the cut-off 44 toward its shell-engaging position. The first cut-olf 22 is in its lowermost position wherein its upper edge is confined within the aperture so as to present no impedance to the downward movement of shells along the tray 14. The cut-oif 22 is formed with a window 80 through which the elongated portion 78 of the cut-off 44 extends.

In FIGURE 5 the cut-offs 22 and 44 are shown as they appear when the operating lever 32 is pivoted to the forward position shown in FIGURE 3. The first cut-off 22 has been moved upward through the slot 20 and between the first and second shells on the tray 14 so as to provide a barrier to downward movement of all but the first shell. It is noted that the elongate portion 78 on the second cut-01f 44 is engaged by the lower edge of the window in the first cut-01f 22 thus pivoting the cutoff 44 out of engagement with the lowermost shell on the tray. It is noted also that the breech block 8 has dropped to its retired position. As previously noted, the jet of air which passes through the breech block 8 is interrupted at this point so as to permit ejection of a spent shell from the firing chamber 12.

As the spent shell is ejected from the firing chamber 12, the lowermost shell begins to roll down the tray 14 and onto the concave upper surface 52 of the breech block 8, along the path 34' shown in phantom. The operating lever 32 is then returned to the position shown in FIGURE 1 and the cut-ofls 22 and 44 are thereby returned to their respective positions shown in FIGURE 4.

As the operating lever 32 is moved from its forwardmost to its rearwardmost positions, the initial portion of this movement disengages the notch 70 on the operating lever 32 from the valve 66 before the breech block 8 is pivoted to its battery position. A jet of air is then passed through the valve 66, the tube 56 and the passage 50 in the breech block. This jet of air impels the shell forward along the concave surface 52 of the breech block and into the firing chamber 12. Continuing rearward movement of the operating lever 32 raises the breech block 8 from its retired position to its battery position in a manner described hereinafter in greater detail.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, the operation of the breech block 8 and shell ejector is shown in greater detail. In FIGURE 6 the breech block is shown in its battery position. As previously noted, the :breech block 8 is mounted in the receiver for pivoting movement about a pin 10 which traverses the rearward portion of the breech block 8. The breech block 8 thus tends to want to pivot to its retired position. A transverse slot 82 is cut into the lower face of the breech block 8 at a point slightly forward of the pin 10. The slot 82 includes a first step 84 and a second step 86, the second step 86 being to the rear of, and deeper than the first step 84. A pawl member 88 is rotatably mounted on the pin '64 and rigidly connected to one end of the second link member 62. The pawl 88 includes a tooth 92 which extends into the slot 82 for selective engagement with the steps 84 and 86. When the breech block 8 is in its battery position, the pawl tooth 92 is in engagement with the step 84 and serves to prevent the breech block from pivoting to its retired position. It is noted that the link 62 is horizontal and the operating lever 32 is thus in its rearward position.

The shell ejecting assembly includes a fork-shaped member 94 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 96 connected to the receiver. The member 94 includes a pair of ears 98 (only one of Which is shown) for connection with the pin 96, and a web 100 extending between the ears 98. An ejector member 102 is pivotally mounted on the pin 96, the ejector member 102 being disposed between the ears 98 and adjacent to the web 100. The ejector member 102 includes a pair of upwardly extend-' ing U-shaped fingers 104 (only one of which is shown) which form the lower half of the rim-engaging portion of the firing chamber 12. Thus the fingers 104 engage the rim of a shell when the latter is disposed in the firing chamber 12. A portion of the ejector member 102 is stepped, as at 106 and 108, and a detent element 110 is pivotally mounted on a pin 112 for engagement with the steps 106 and 108. A pin 114 biased by a spring 116 is mounted in the receiver to urge the detent 110 into engagement with the ejector member 102.

In order to move the breech block 8 to its retired position, the link 62 is pivoted upward about the pin 64 by moving the operating lever forward. The rigid connection between the link 62 and the pawl 88 causes the latter to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin 64. The pawl tooth 92 is thus moved out of the step 84 and into the step 86 with the result that the breech block 8 pivots downwardly about tne pin to the position shown in FIGURE 7. It isnoted that the step 86 is substantially wider than the tooth 92, so as not to restrict further forward movement of the operating lever 32 necessary to feed a cartridge after a spent cartridge has been ejected. It is further noted that when the breech block 8 is in its retired position, the air passage 50 is defined threthrough for the passage of a jet of air against *the rear face *of a cartridge (shown in'phantom) which is fed from the tray onto the breech block. The air jet propels the cartridge into the firing chamber 12.

The forward portion of the breech block 8 includes an enlarged foot element 118 which strikes the fork-shaped member 94 and pivots the latter about the pin 96 and against the ejector member 102. A force is thus directed against the ejector member 102 which tends to pivot the latter in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin 96. The detent 110 bearing against the step 106 resists the rotation of the ejector member 102 until the impelling force exceeds the constant of the spring 116 at which time the detent 110 pivots in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin 112 and onto the step 108. Thus the ejector member 102 is suddenly and forcefully pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction, causing the fingers 104 to move to the left and outward. The move ment of the fingers 104 ejects the spent shell from the firing chamber 12 with considerable force. This ejection is accomplished with the operating lever 32 sufiiciently forward to shut off the jet of air through the passage 50 so that the air jet will not interfere with the shell ejection. At the same time the opearting lever 32 is far enough forward to cause the cartridge cut-off 44 to disengage from the forwardmost shell on the tray.

Thus, when the operating lever 32 is moved forward and returned, the following sequence ensues: the breech block drops to its retired position; the air supply is shut off; the spent shell is ejected and a fresh shell is fed onto the breech block; the air supply is renewed and the shell propelled thereby into the firing chamber; and the breech block isreturned to its battery position. It is noted that since the ejector fingers 104 are moved to the left (in FIGURES 6 and 7) and outward, they do not interfere with the chambering of a fresh shell. When the breech block 8 is returned to its battery position by moving the pawl tooth 92 from the step 86 to the step 84, the front face of the breech block 8 bears against the ejector fingers 104 and causes the ejector mechanism to return to the position shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, a preferred form of the valve 66 is shown. The valve 66 includes a housing 120 having a bore 122 therein. A valve spool 124 is slidably mounted in the bore, the valve spool 124 including a medial undercut portion 126 which normally permits fluid communication between an inlet conduit 128 and an outlet conduit 130. The inlet conduit 128 is connected to thehose 68 which leads to the source of pressurized air, and the outlet conduit 130 is connected to the hose 56 which leads to the breech block passage 50. One end of the bore 122 is closed by a plug 132 through which projects a probe 134 carried by the spool 124. A compressible spring member 136 is mounted in the other end of the, bore 122 to urge the spool 124 toward the plug 132. Whenthe operating lever 32 (shown in phantom) is moved against the probe 134, the spool 124 is moved through the bore 122 against the bias of the spring 136 to the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 8 to seal the, outlet conduit 130 against the passage of air. It is noted that the spool 124 can be moved further to the right when the operating lever 32 is moved further to the right to feed a shell onto the breech block.

As previously noted, the source of pressurized air for use with the apparatus of this invention is preferably a cylinder of compressed air metered so as to emit a stream of air of about 30-40 p.s.i. It has been found that a jet of air in this pressure range is suflicient to propel a shell into the firing chamber even when the gun is inclined to fire upwardly into the kiln. The air jet has also been found to have a cooling effect on the barrel as the gun is operated.

It is thus readily apparent that the assembly of this invention provides for automatic feeding and chambering of shells in a kiln gun without reducing the maximum operating speed of the gun. The kiln gun including the ammunition feed system of this invention can be operated 'by one man easily and efficiently Without requiring a. second man to keep the gun loaded. The feeding assembly of this invention is of simple construction, durable, and easily maintained in operating condition.

Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment of this invention may be made without departing from the inventive concept, it is not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. -A feed system for feeding and chambering a shell in a kiln gun, said system comprising:

(a) a magazine connected to said kiln gun;

(b) shell cut-off means connected to said magazine, said cut-off means being operable to retain shells in said magazine;

(c) conduit means for connection to a source of pressurized air, said conduit means defining a path through which a jet of air is directed toward a firing chamber on said kiln gun;

(cl) valve means connected to said conduit means, said valve means being operable to interrupt the flow of air through said conduit means; and

(e) an operating lever movably mounted on said kiln gun, said operating lever being operable to selectively disable said cut-off means to permit a shell to move from said magazine to said kiln gun, and said operating lever further being operable to concurrently actuate said valve means to interrupt the flow of air through said conduit means to permit simultaneous ejection of a spent shell from said firing chamber.

2. In a kiln gun having a pivotally mounted breech block adjacent to a firing chamber, a system for feeding and chambering a shell, said system comprising:

(a) a magazine connected to said kiln gun;

(b) first cut-off means connected to said magazine and operative to retain shells in said magazine, said first cut-off means being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

(c) second cut-off means connected to said magazine and operative to retain shells in said magazine, said second cut-off means being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

(d) conduit means for connection to a source of pressurized fluid, said conduit means defining a path along which a jet of fluid is directed toward said firing chamber;

(e) operating means connected to said first and second cut-off means and to said breech block, said operating means being operative to move said breech block to a battery position and concurrently move said first cut-off means to its inoperative position and said operating means further being operative to move said breech block to a retired position and concurrently move said first cut-off means to its operative position and move said second out-off means to its inoperative position, whereby a shell is fed from said magazine into said fluid path when said breech block is in its retired position.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising valve means connected to said conduit means for selective interruption of said fluid jet to permit ejection of a spent shell from said firing chamber.

4. A shell feed system for use with a kiln gun having a firing chamber, said feed system comprising:

(a) a breech block pivotally mounted on said kiln gun and movable thereon between a breech-open position and a breech-closed position, said breech block having a concave upper surface disposed in general alignment with said firing chamber when said breech block is in its breech-open position, and said concave upper surface providing a course along which shells are ejected from and fed into said firing chamber;

(b) shell ejecting means associated with said firing chamber, said ejecting means being operably connected to said breech block to be actuated when said breech block is moved to its breech-open position;

(c) magazine means connected to said kiln gun above said breech block, said magazine defining a path along which shells are fed down onto said concave upper surface of said breech block;

(d) first cut-off means pivotally mounted on said magazine, said first cut-off means being normally disposed in a position blocking said path, and movable into a position clearing said path;

(6) second cut-0E means reciprocally mounted on said magazine, said second cut-off means being movable from a position clearing said path into a position blocking said path at a point spaced apart up the path from said first cut-off means, said second cutoff means being drivingly connected to said first cutoff means to move said first cut-off means to its clearing position only as said second cut-off means is moved from its clearing position to its blocking position;

(f) said first and second cut-off means being operative to segregate one shell in said magazine from a remainder of shells therein when said ejecting means is actuated;

(g) an operating lever pivotally mounted on said kiln (h) first link means interconnecting said operating lever and said second cut-01f means;

(i) second link means interconnecting said first link means and said breech block; and

(j) said operating lever, through said first and second link means, being operable to move said breech block from its breech closed position to its breech-open position and return, and said operating lever, through said first link means further being concurrently operable to move said second cut-off means from its clearing position to its blocking position and return.

5. The shell feed system of claim 4, further comprising spring means connected to said first cut-oft means and operative to bias the latter toward its blocking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 457,293 8/ 1891 Spiller 8947 851,196 4/1907 Bevans. 1,116,026 11/1914 Dawson. 1,387,460 8/1921 Beets. 2,192,677 3/ 1940 Hoagland et al. 2,725,790 12/ 1955 Bergstrom 89-1.804 2,856,819 10/1958 Meyers et al. 891.804 3,343,456 9/ 1957 Christiansson.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

